Posts Tagged ‘jameson’s bushmills’

If you’re like many people, today will be one of the heaviest drinking days of the year.

St. Patrick’s Day is an excuse for a lot of people to throw on some green and get a little messy.

Unfortunately, for a lot of those people, that means green food colouring in their usual brew.
Or it means settling for the most basic of Irish whiskeys to mix with cola or ginger ale.

Not that that’s a bad thing, but there’s definitely more options available to the discerning drinker.

So if you’re making a last-minute shopping trip today, may I make a few suggestions?

Guinness
Guinness is what comes to mind for many when they think of Ireland and drinking. And for good reason. It’s light, creamy, with coffee and chocolate notes. And delicious. Murphy’s is also a good choice for a traditional Irish stout.

Kilkenny
Kilkenny, from the makers of Guinness, is lighter than its stout cousin, but similarly creamy, with a history in Ireland dating back centuries. If you’re not one for stout, then this would be a good choice. The company also makes Smithwick’s Irish Ale and Harp Lager, but both are a touch too light in flavour for yours truly.

The Boilermaker
The latter two beers mentioned above may be too light in taste to drink on their own, but they make the perfect base for a boilermaker. Instead of doing whiskey shots followed by beer chaser, add the shot, and either Jameson or Bushmills regular varieties will do, to the beer to boost the “Irish.”

Whiskey
But enjoying whiskey on St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t have to mean mixed drinks. There is a growing number of good single malt Irish whiskeys, which is a relief for a Scotch lover like me. And the Jameson 12-year is the way to go. Sweetness from the sherry casks, with a lingering finish and a hint of spice make this a great choice, but if you’re a Bushmills fan, their 16-year is a close second.

To save yourself the cash, however, you could just as easily pick up a bottle of Bushmills Black Bush, which is their original finished in sherry casks, giving a sweetness similar to the Jameson 12-year.

However you choose to celebrate the holiday today, just remember two things: Celebrate responsibly, and say no to green beer.

Our Contributor

Dave Breakenridge is the Online Content Editor of the Calgary Sun - responsible for local news on calgarysun.com, original online content, as well as writing a weekly column with a strong focus on Calgary issues. He also maintains the blogs Breaken' it Down and Thirsty Writin' Scoundrels. A nine-year resident of Calgary, he has covered myriad issues at the Calgary Sun as a reporter, including crime, education, health, politics and pop culture. An Edmonton native, he is also a former radio broadcaster and a graduate of Grant MacEwan University's journalism program.